Failing bar exam

Shortly into the new academic year, a sixth grader in Soc Trang City’s Le Vinh Hoa Secondary School was recently demoted to first grade.
He could not read or write fluently, and was unable to perform the four basic mathematical operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Writing his name was a hard task for him.
His mother, To Thi Huynh Giao, was shocked. She knew her son did not perform well at school, but could hardly believe that his knowledge was not more than that of a first grader after six years at school.
Strangely, his report records of previous years showed above average grades, meeting the requirements for being promoted to the next grade.
As shocking as this case is, it is only one of many cases of ‘sitting in the wrong class’ that have come to light in the city.
A month ago, eight third graders in the city’s Le Hong Phong Primary School were sent back to first grade as they could not write or read.
The provincial … [Read more...] about Schools lower the bar for higher standards

Big electricity savings in Ha Noi this year
Ha Noi saved 60 million kWh of electricity in the first seven months of this year, according to Ha Noi Electricity (EVN Ha Noi).
The amount accounted for 1 per cent of the total output and exceeded the target set by Viet Nam Electricity by 0.1 per cent.
Commercial and household consumption fell 20 million kWh, accounting for 33 per cent of the total saving, while 8 million kWh was saved on public lightning.
EVN Ha Noi plans to continue disseminating methods of power saving this month by sending out 170,000 leaflets to consumers.
Construction ministry to pay attention to social houses
There should be specific programmes to encourage investment in social houses, said the newly-elected Minister of Construction Trinh Dinh Dung.
Mr. Dung emphasized this in reply to reporters’ question on the sidelines of the on-going session of the 13th National Assembly. He noted that the Party, State, and the … [Read more...] about SOCIETY IN BRIEF 4/8

Nha Trang Fair shows Hoang Sa, Truong Sa history
An exhibition showcasing the historical and legal basis for Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos has opened at the Nha Trang Sea Festival.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Truong Minh Tuan emphasized the exhibition will help visitors gain a better understanding and insight into the rational for Vietnam’s sacred claim to dominion over the archipelagos.
On show are numerous documents and publications along with nearly 100 maps, which are part of the historical record and legal foundation proving Vietnam’s control over the two archipelagos.
The exhibition shows conclusively that the Vietnam State from the feudal regimes to current has exercised and defended its jurisdiction over the two archipelagos in addition to other waters and islands surrounding them.
These facts were recorded throughout history and meticulously … [Read more...] about Social News 12/7

8,000 patients in need of kidney transplants
More than 8,000 patients in critical conditions nationwide are in need of kidney transplants while thousands of others are waiting for humanitarian organ donations.
The information was unveiled at the ceremony to posthumously honor 403 organ donors and encourage people to register for donating organs co-held on March 21 by Cho Ray Hospital, People’s Hospital No. 115 and Children’s Hospital No. 2 in HCMC.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Truong Son, director of Cho Ray Hospital, said since 1992, when the country’s first organ transplant operation was conducted, more than 1,200 patients have been donated organs, including 30 liver transplant patients, 10 heart transplant patients and most of the rest are kidney transplant cases.
However, more than 8,000 patients in the final stage of chronic kidney disease are in dire need of kidney transplants while 1,500 patients need new livers, 6,000 patients need new cornea and hundreds … [Read more...] about Social News 27/3

Foued Mohamed-Aggad, one of three young men who shot dead 90 people at a Paris concert hall a month ago, was turned down by the French army and possibly also by the police before Islamic State took him on to fight for them. Army recruiters in the eastern city of Strasbourg decided after conducting physical and psychological tests that he was not a suitable candidate to bear arms as a French soldier. Mohamed-Aggad's identity was only established this week because of a text message his mother Fatima received. The text came from his wife, Hadjira, in Syria. It told the mother of four that her younger son had died "with his brothers" on Nov. 13, the night of the attacks. Fearing the worst, and with her elder son already in prison on suspicion of having terrorism links, the Moroccan-born woman went to the family's lawyer. DNA matching followed, and the profile of yet another radicalized young man, from yet another part of France, emerged this week, joining other home-grown French and … [Read more...] about Paris attacker was French army reject